Apopka's Land Development Code
Update for the 21st Century
Apopka's Land
Development Code
Update for the 21st Century
About the Project
The City of Apopka is conducting a major update to its Land Development Code (LDC). The current LDC is now out-of-date, and needs to be comprehensively updated in order to better implement the City’s Comprehensive Plan 2030 and Grow Apopka 2025 Vision Plan. The update will also ensure the City’s development regulations are internally consistent, modernized, aligned with contemporary zoning best practices, and more user-friendly.
The LDC update project is a significant undertaking, and is expected to take 14 months to complete. The project is divided into five tasks, as follows.
How to Get Involved in the Rewrite Process
The Land Development Code update project encourages public input and interaction. Here are ways you can get involved:
- Request to be included in our e-mail list to receive announcements, meeting invitations, and notifications of new work products for review. To sign up, or to submit general comments about the project at any time, send an email to apkzoningupdate@apopka.net
- Participate and provide feedback at public meetings. See the new and noteworthy section below for announcements about upcoming meetings. Review our work products as they are posted on this website, and comment when you believe appropriate.
Land Development Code Update Process
Task 1: Project Initiation
This includes background analysis of current policies and regulations, and public outreach to identify the key goals for the project and receive input on the strengths and weaknesses of the current regulations.
Task 2: Code Assessment
In this task the information and input obtained in Task 1 is synthesized in a Code Assessment that identifies the major goals for the update project, along with recommendations on how to address and integrate these goals in the updated code. The Code Assessment concludes with a detailed outline of how the updated regulations would be structured if the recommendations in the Assessment are implemented. Public meetings will be conducted on the Code Assessment to receive public input and direction from City Council.
Task 3: Draft Land Development Code and Zoning Map
Task 3 includes the draft of the new regulations. Because the LDC is a lengthy document, drafting is divided into two installments. The revisions will be consistent with recommendations in the Code Assessment and follow the detailed outline. Public meetings will be held on the drafts to receive public input. This task also includes preparing a new zoning map.
Task 4: Test Draft Land Development Code (LDC) and Zoning Map
Next, the updated LDC will be tested to verify whether it is achieving the goals for the project. The testing stage includes a side-by-side comparison of four examples of recently-approved development with comparable hypothetical development in accordance with the draft LDC.
Task 5: Preparing Public Hearing Draft of Zoning Ordinance
After the results from testing in Task 4 and input on the draft LDC in Task 3, revisions will be made and a public hearing draft of the LDC and zoning map will be prepared. These materials will be reviewed during the public hearing process. The public hearing draft of the LDC and zoning map is the final, comprehensive set of draft regulations that will be considered for adoption.
New and Noteworthy
The Land Development Code Update is on the agenda for the December 11 Planning Commission meeting. The agenda will be posted on the City website.
Project Status
The Apopka Land Development Code Update project will be an agenda item on the next Planning Commission meeting: December 11, 2018 at 5:30 PM.
NEW Apopka LDC Public Hearing Draft Posted December 10, 2018
Apopka LDC Public Hearing Draft Posted November 29, 2018
You can view the earlier draft presented at a joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission October 18, 2018 here: Apopka LDC Public Review Draft.
You can also see the earlier guiding assessment document here: Apopka Land Development Code Assessment.